QandAs: Food

What is a "rotisserie"?

Answer:
A rotisserie is a mechanical device designed

to rotate foods over a heat source to ensure evenly consistent roasting. A rotisserie usually consists of a spit (metal rod used to skewer the food to be roasted) and some means of supporting and rotating the spit (normally electric powered today).

Rotisseries have been used for centuries to cook a variety of foods. Early rotisseries were turned by hand, then some were designed with clock-like motors which could be wound up and left to rotate on their own. Eventually, of course, electric-powered rotisseries became the standard.

Rotisseries are used quite often when cooking large portions of meats or other foods. For example, whole chickens or turkeys are frequently cooked with rotisseries, which enables the cook to watch the cooking progress closely, and to periodically baste the food to help keep it from becoming too dried out.

Typically, foods are placed on a spit, which is simply a metal rod designed to pierce the food item. Then the spit is placed into its supporting apparatus above the fire or other heat source and power is turned on to the rotisserie motor (or, in the case of the older style, perhaps the clock motor is wound up or maybe someone is tagged to be the rotisserie-crank person!).

Most modern rotisseries require minimal attention while cooking foods with them, except the occasional basting operation.

Rotisseries are often offered as accessory components with many modern gas-grills and other outdoor barbecue devices.

Today, rotisseries come in all shapes and sizes, and some are even designed to be used indoors.